A critical stage in the development of a new drug or genetic treatment is the animal trial stage. In this stage, the drug is administered to one or more animal test subjects, often laboratory mice, in order to determine possible drug benefits and side effects. Information concerning an animal's behavior in response to a drug, including cognitive function, can provide valuable information concerning the efficacy or safety of the drug.
One device used in the art to obtain behavioral information of an animal test subject during a drug trial is a maze. An animal test subject is placed in a physical construction of obstacles and passageways. By evaluating the animal's ability to correctly navigate the maze, such as the time it takes for the animal to traverse the maze, investigators can gain insight into the effect of a drug on the behavior of the animal.
In a controlled maze test, it may be advantageous to test subjects with a number of different mazes. For example a test animal, due to the effects of a drug administered to it, may be unable to traverse a first maze. Under such circumstances, investigators may wish to test the animal with a different, perhaps less complex, maze. Currently, the only way to accomplish this is to physically replace one maze with another. Such physical replacement can be tedious and cumbersome to the investigator. Perhaps more importantly, it can affect the outcome of the test. For example, the time it takes for the investigators to physically replace one maze with another may allow the drug to wear off or otherwise decrease in intensity in the body of the animal test subject. In addition, transferring the animal from one maze to another may change the response of the animal as a result of its interaction with the investigator.